X-Message-Number: 3804
From:  (GeorgeSmit)
Newsgroups: sci.cryonics
Subject: re: Uploading, Identity and popular choosing of same
Date: 5 Feb 1995 20:25:02 -0500
Message-ID: <3h3tpe$>

Let us suppose for a moment that it is never objectively
possible to determine whether a "reproduced" individual is
actually the "original."  In other words, we arrive at a future
day when it is possible to create what seems to all intent and
purposes to be a duplicate of another person.

If that day I arrives, I believe that very quickly, many
people will want that service in the event of their personal
deaths.  Why?  For the same reason many people will purchase
life insurance to care for their family's finances.  Commonly,
the individual wants to care for his survivors even if he firmly
believes that he will never be around to know about it (really
dead!).

I can easily expect that this would be the ultimate form of life
insurance.  Imagine the life insurance agent's sales pitch:

"Mr. Smith, you are absolutely right.  In the event of your
death, you will die and this duplicate of you may not really be
you at all.  That's true.  But think for a moment of your wife. 
If you die and do not allow Renewed Life Assurance Company to
duplicate you, your wife will see it as your death too.  She
will be a widow and suffer the grief and loneliness of never seeing you
alive again.  "But this doesn't have to be!  Mr. Smith, your
wife needs the emotional and financial support only you can
offer her.  I can't guarantee that this is eternal life for you,
that's true.  But your wife doesn't need to ever lose you!  You can
always be there for her.  

"Furthermore, Mr. Smith, do you want to lose your wife? 
Accidents happen.  They happen all the time.  (Meaningful pause).  

Right now, Mr. Smith, you could lose your wife forever or ...you can sign
this
introductory premium waiver and you will both be fully covered
immediately. 
This comes with a fifty-year, renewable reconstruction guarantee
so that no matter what happens neither one of you will ever lose
the other.  Neither of you will ever have to lose the other.  Your love
will endure! 

"Now Mr. Smith, do you love your wife?  Do you want to lose her
to one of those weekly terrorist bombings at the mall?  Do you
want her to really lose you forever?  And don't you really want to
protect her and shield her from these dangers?  Well
would you prefer e-cash or credit?"

My belief is that if it can happen, it will happen because of
human nature.  Cryonics has had a rough go in attracting
popular participation because it is unproven and not a normal part of the
death business (yet).  If human duplication becomes possible, it
certainly would enter into the insurance industry in very short
order.  Furthermore, if human duplication proved to be less expensive
than the standard insurance payoff benefit, it would be far more
desirable to keep the "stiff" working for a living making money
for his family anyway.  (I might consider starting my own
company, in that event: Happy Zombie Life Assurance Company or,
possibly, Eternal Taxpayer Life Assurance Company or, again, Husband
Back-Up Services, Incorporated).

My whole point is that whether or not uploading or any other
version of human simulation *ever* proves to be "survival" for the
individual, it would be the same to others around that
individual and therefore be a cause for that individual to want
to have it.  

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